Game of Chase
by Vampiratelady
Summary: Abby's friend and co-worker was a ruthless matchmaker. She should have known her scheme when she said she wanted to throw an engagement party. Soon she found herself in a game where she knew her heart's at stake.
1. Truths In Between

Author's note: This story happened before Mike's interview with Craig Ferguson.

mmary: Abby's friend and co-worker Dianne Ward, a reputed matchmaker when they're still in college, wanted to throw an engagement party. Abby didn't know that she's going to be engaged in a game where her heart's at stake. And she dare not gamble with a ruthless gamer like Mike Chadway.

Disclaimer: I owe nothing.

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CHAPTER ONE :

Truths In Between

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It was awful.

Dreadful.

Horrible.

And exciting as hell..

Mike Chadway raised his glass of champagne and drained it quickly, not taking his eyes away from the maddening woman on the dance floor. Her blonde hair swirling around her as she swayed to the music.

Abby Richter was an awful dancer.

No doubt she's infamous for being the queen of propriety. Ice queen. She simply doesn't know how to loose control. And she was doing an awful job of it dancing like.. like- damned if he know what to call that dance. However, as appalled as he was his body seems to have a different opinion.

He shouldn't have challenged her into going. But he could not help it, as if he wanted to have an arguement with her. And to say the truth, he did. The look on her face whenever she stood up to him was refreshing. She mocked, dared, and scolded him. It was nothing like what he was used to. Women played, seduced, and fawned over him. But she fought him head on.

And he knew she was trouble..

Abby knew she should not enjoy this so much.

She should show that scroundrel Mike Chadway that he was wrong. That she was not a control freak who doesn't enjoy the pleasures of life. Oh she did enjoy them. But the only kind of pleasure Mike knows were the sinful ones. And she won't let him know how terribly thrilled she was at the prospect of fulfilling a few of them tonight.

Lord, it must be that damned tequila. For she was having the wrong thoughts about a certain man. A man who was not her boyfriend. Well wait, Colin was not her boyfriend yet. But they had a nice progressing relationship. He was the man of her dreams. But her reaction towards him was not like what the harlequin books in her bookshelf say about a woman in love.

Abby let the loud music rock her senses and mind away. She should stop worrying and just enjoy. And how often Mike told her that.

She should stop thinking about the arrogant man. But how could she not? He infuriates her. He shocked her with his straight forwardness and frank boldness. And turned her into tight knots. Very, very tight knots.

Most of the time she hated him and that big guts he was so famous of. But sometimes she admired him for his skeptical perception of human nature. There were times that she found herself watching him talk with the people around him and could not help but wonder how he could make everyone open and trusting at such a short time. They told him everything he wanted to know and even things he didn't ask for. People turned to him for advice about everything from what to wear to serious matters like personal relationships. Even the women who knew he'll only break their hearts could not stop fawning over his much valued charms.

He told her that she was a big fish in a small pond, and infuriating as it was she positively glowed at his compliment. But he.. he was a different kind of fish, ten times bigger and very predatory. And he could devour her in one bite.

She shivered. It's that damned tequilla, turning her hot then cold. And the dress she was wearing was not helping at all. She shouldn't have worn the dress he gave her. Aside from the kinky black dress that they bought. He gave her a dress so red and sexy she practicaly threw it at the back of her closet. It was not lost on her that such a gesture was intimate. On her part. He must have given everyone with breasts and above adolescence such things.

Abby scowled. Yeah, and how utterly foolish she turned out to be for wanting something she should not.

"Hear me, hear me!" Dianne shouted as she stood or rather wobbled on the DJ's platform. The music stopped and everyone turned towards her. "Since this night is almost ending and two days from now I'll be married. I want to commemorate my last day of freedom.." Everyone laughed and some gave a toast to her with a few funny remarks.

"Then marry me, honey! And we'll party for better and for worse!"

"Thank you, Jason. But I love my fiance very much." That earned an applause and whistles from the crowd. Jason who was the best friend of Dianne's fiance laughed and smacked the man beside him on the back, whether out of humor or frutration she couldn't tell.

"Ladies, gents.." She grinned a very wide grin. Oh, no. Abby knew that grin. She'd seen her grin like that when she played pranks when they were still in college. And that didn't bode well for her. Something always happen to her when she played the cunning bitch.

She turned around, intending to leave, but before she could take a step she stepped on someone, making her jerk on her legs, she stumbled forward and into the arms of no other than Mike Chadway.

"Lets play a game!"

Abby cursed.

...

Author's note: I'm almost finished with the next chapter. It's a lot longer.. with lots of sparks flying in between our favorite couple.


	2. Match Me If You Can

Disclaimer: I don't owe the characters in The Ugly Truth.

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Chapter two  
Match Me If You Can

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"Leaving already, darlin'?" Mike looked down at her flushed face. He tightened his hold on her arms, feeling an intense pleasure at holding her close as if seeing her face had somehow lifted the dark clouds over his head. Ironic. The reason of his apparent mood swings was standing in front of him. And the dress she wore only made it more difficult for him to loosen his hold.

"You mind your own business, Chadway."

"Baby, If I knew that tequilla wouldn't soften you up. I would have offered you something else." Smiling he picked up a loose tendril of her hair and rubbed it with his fingers. Only then did she seems to notice that he was still holding her in his arms. She pushed at his shoulders, suddenly nervous and skittish like a hellcat with a bulldog nearby.

"Say whatever you want, Mike." She gave him the cold shrug. And it annoyed the hell out of him. Because she looked so beautiful. A temptress. And she didn't know how one look, one glimpse from her could make his inside burn. And he was silently and desperately daring her to look at him the whole time. The hellcat didn't mind him one bit.

She danced with the crowd. With those men. And all he did was drank glass after glass of rum, pulled a willing chit under his arm and pretended he didn't care at all.

He frowned at her, silently wishing that he was far far away.. away from her. "What got you so riled?"

"I'm not riled. I'm drunk. And I have to leave now." She snapped at him, wobbling a bit on her four inch heels. She was spitting fire. With that red dress, flushed cheeks, and tangled hair- it was a thrilling combination. Mike scowled. He didn't like it. This intense desire and acute awareness of her. Not when she was out of his reach.

Damn.

Mike suddenly pulled her toward him. She yelped and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "We didn't even dance, darling."

"I have to leave. Dianne's starting her ridiculous games again. And I have to be out of here." Abby murmured, leaning forward- closer- but caught herself. She stood awkwardly and looked down at their feet.

"It seems that you're already too late." Mike muttered, looking around them with one eye brow cocked high.

"What?- She was momentarily blinded by the light that suddenly moved over the two of them and before she knew it, everyone was staring at them.

"The rules of our game is simple. These ladies and gentlemen.." Dianned indicated to the two of them and the others who also had spotlights over them. "Will be our victims."

"You would not be meaning it literaly, wouldn't you?" Her fiance whispered in her ear and since she was wearing a microphone in her ear, everyone heard what he had said and laughed.

"Of course not, darling. I wouldn't be so mean." She winked at him, and everyone knew she was lying. It was clearly pay back time. "If you had played something similar then, sweetheart, I suggest you run now.." Mike smirked. The bitch. "Because the rest of them are going to be the.." Dianne enunciated the words very slowly.

"Killer."

...

Oh, of all the insufferable scheme Dianne would come up with!

"Why am I exactly with you?" They were passing by a corridor that lead to the west wing of the hotel, from the looks of it the 'killers' were still downstairs, ransaking every hidden place they passed by.

"I'm taking you as hostage." She was taken aback, making her jerk on the hand he was holding. Mike must have sensed her bafflement for he laughed. And for the first time she was not annoyed at him laughing at her, rather, she was slightly amused at the boyish joy written on his face and the sense that he delighted in the challenge of the game.

"I will not certainly surrender without a fight. If there are killers wanting my blood or whatever that Dianne wagered. " He continued laughing, barely audibly, but she felt a sudden discomfort that she found the prospect of being his hostage rather delightful.

They stopped in front of a large door. "You're taking this seriously?" Mike pushed her inside. Abby barely noticed the richly furnished room with its dark interior giving a rather homely and warm feeling before he took her hand once again and began pulling her toward the set of doors on the right side of the room.

"Of course, being alone with you is a very serious matter." Abby felt her insides burst into flame and she stammered for words, "You're not going to-

She said as he opened a door, looked inside for a few seconds before closing it again. "Relax, darling, I'm not going to molest you." He smiled, giving her his most innocent look.

"This is ridiculous." He proceeded to open a few more doors. "Yes but we can't do anything about it can we? It's not like that bouncer on the gate would let us out."

"This is stupid."

Mike drew her inside a dark room. "Yes, I agree. And they're drunk. Actually we too also. But it's best to just go along and enjoy it."

The light coming from the windows illuminated a corner where a big arm chair was facing an oak table and what appears to be a big screen TV attached to the opposite wall. It was a cozy, private cinema. And they were the only ones standing there, looking like lovers on a tyrst.

"I beg to differ. You're the only one who is going to enjoy this." She crossed her arms and regarded him with a piercing glare. "I'm a hostage, remember? Hostages don't go along and they certainly don't enjoy such things." She intended to scold him until his ears wore off. But then Mike Chadway didn't listen to anyone. No, indeed. He doesn't play according to the rules. And he'd bend the law if it suits him. And that made her uncomfortable. Because behind his reckless bravado and arrogance was a iron hard will and an honor he bound never to break. Once he was intent on doing something he did it with conviction.

And tonight, she felt like a little rabbit trapped in a corner by a very hungry wolf. Because he intended to win not the game but something else entirely.

TVC

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Author's note:

Okay, I've been mad about these two. There's certainly something wicked and forbidden in their relationship. Think about it. Mike Chadway is like the man in Rihanna's song "California King Bed".

Mike's heart was miles away despite the fact that he had bedded many women. And Abby Richter wanted to play safe and stay 'in love?' with Colin, her perfect checklist, despite the fact that Mike makes her burn with passion. What do you think? R&R!

-Vampiratelady


	3. Intoxicated By You

Author's note: Dianne Ward was just from my imagination. She's not in the movie Ugly Truth. But if there's similarity with any of the movie's cast then it was just a matter of naming coincidence.

Disclaimer: I do not owe any character in The Ugly Truth.

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Chapter three

Intoxicated By You

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Dianne Ward stared at the open doors of the drawing room with a wistful smile on her face, ignoring the drunken protests of the crowd around her. The other guests who cheerfully participated on the game had left the room in a frenzy. _Men. _ She thought with amusement.

She didn't care about who win the game. Even if the free ticket to Hawaii and free service at one of her papa's resort hotel, a five star one at that, were the prize.

Her other friends knew not what she intended or they simply didn't sense and thrill of the hunt never failed to heat their blood. And they women who clearly did not know that took off with glee and hid somewhere their lovers could easily find them. More reason why she shouldn't feel guilty and anxious. They're drunk. In the morning they wouldn't have time to plan her assassination due to their bad hangovers. And she would be flying to the Caribbean and marry.

But there might be others who would throttle her for this. Like a one Abby Richter who might now be either murdering Mike or getting naked with him.

"They're drunk, honey." Gabe Winter, her fiance, took the stairs slowly, almost leisurely as if the people around them were not tearing at everything even the storages under the stage.

"That's what I thought too." She said with a dismissive tone. She also got the feeling he wouldn't care if the guests burn the whole place or dance gangnam style while in their birthday suit. Although the former slightly amused her. She would not be so brazen and have her engagement party on the top trending topics on every social networking sites in the internet.

"Abby will certainly kill you." He said.

"I hope Mike Chadway will keep her so occupied on the time being." With a seductive flourish, Dianne tugged him closer and whispered in his ear. "We wouldn't want to be interrupted now would we?"

"Mike Chadway? You mean_ the _Mike Chadway? The tv host your boss hired? Are they together? From what I heard from Joy she hated the man."

"Yes and no other. I hated you too before I fell in love with you." She brushed her hands on his shoulders and smiled at him.

"You mean when you tried matchmaking me with the bookish Abby Richter when we're in college because you hated the fact that I beat you in a game of poker." Gabe took her hands in his and kissed the fingertips and then let his lips linger on the engagement ring that he gave her.

He smiled remembering her unending accusations that he cheated. With a casino as her childhood playground, Dianne prided herself to be the best gambler in Las Vegas. But her father didn't like his daughter running around his casino with such bulgar customers around. So whenever the casino would close, her father would let Dianne play with all his servants as her playmates. And he'd beaten her the very first time they met on college.

"Well the matchmaking didn't work when Abby found out your grand talent with cards."

He kissed her, brief but hard, and whispered,"Thank God for that."

...

Abby watched Mike as he took off his coat and hung it at the back of the armchair. She glared daggers at his back, silently wishing the daggers were real. "I hope Dianne would hide to the opposite side of the earth because I'm going to throttle her for this.

Mike seems inaffected by her tirade and opened several cabinets like he owned the damned place. "Well, honey, let her be. It's her wish before she marry. You wouldn't be so selfish to begrudge her that now would you?"

"That is exactly the problem!" She huffed and shuffled at her position, frowning even more when he rummaged through a cabinet filled with alcoholic beverages. "She shouldn't be doing that. She'll be a fully mature woman. Respectable wives don't do that. She- Abby stopped, distracted, her mouth dropping open, "What are you doing?"

"I'm having a nice drink while you rant and rant about how respectable wives should behave." He sauntered toward her, shook the bottle teasingly and annoyingly near her face before he went to the sofa and sat. "I hope to get seriously drunk and forget every boring thing that you said." Pouring a cognac in a glass, he taunted, "Want some?"

Oh the fucking bastard.. "No."

Mike shrugged, "Suit yourself."

Minutes passed by, Abby sat beside him as far as the sofa would allow. She feared that someone might see her if she sat on the armchair through the small rectangle window glass that connects to the other room.

She could feel herself getting thirsty. She shouldn't have eaten so much cake. Helplessly she looked at Mike as he sipped, making small sounds enough to make her more miserable.

"What is it, Abby?" He rarely called her by her nickname. That didn't sound right. Abby squirmed at her seat. "Oh, it's nothing. Go ahead and just ignore me."

"Babe, I can't ignore you when you look like that."

"Like what?" She said but too late she looked at his eyes and read his meaning at the intensity of his gaze. She snapped at him, "Stop it. I'm just a bit thirsty." Oops. She shouldn't have said that.

"Then you should have told me rather than making me so-

"Okay. Let me just have a few sips." She said, cuttting him off before he started telling her things that would make her more nervous.

Mike handed her the glass. Abby almost winced. Another mistake. He slid closer to her and just stayed there whereas she didn't have any more space to go unless she stood up and announce her anxiety like a slap to her face.

Abby he's just a man. A man with an awful sense of propriety and boldness of a seducer..

"Whoa, slowly, drink it slowly or you'll- but Abby was so nervous and before she knew it she drank the entire content of the glass. Oh god, her throat was burning. She held the heel of her palm against her mouth and coughed.

"I can't breathe." She mumbled. She's getting dizzy she felt like throwing up.

"No, don't do that. Here, let me." She let felt him rubbing her back and for some reason she felt much better and when she inhaled she could smell his cologne. She liked how he smelled. Strong and spicy. Oh no, she shouldn't be thinking like that. She should leave and she felt drowsy. She's really drunk now for she would not dare lean against his body and smell that nice smell of him that smelt stronger on his neck. Or how his shoulders were superbly muscled and firm under her hands.

"Mike." And the sound of his name felt oddly good on her tongue.

And while something in the back of her mind shouted 'DANGER' Abby felt it more good to look at him, eyes so pale blue, so captivating she wanted to kiss each of them.

"Abby.." That deep voice with the slightest burr in his accent was irresistable she could not help but trace his lips with her fingers, silently repeating the words in her mind over and over again.

Slowly she raised her eyes to his and was almost taken aback at the seriousness of his gaze. She thought he'd be mocking, she clearly made a spectacle of herself But no, what she heard was not a mocking sarcasm but a groan before he kissed her hard.

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Author's note: Oh my goodness! Read the next chapter. Slightly M for rating. But I assure you you'll love it.


	4. Under Your Skin

Disclaimer: Don't owe them.

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Chapter Four

Under Your Skin

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Mike groaned, the electrifying need and desire was flowing, its waves was rising and rising. He could not hold it any longer, and like a tidal wave. Desire shook him and broke every chains on his restraint.

"Open your mouth.. open." Ah, he must be mad. They must be mad. He was out of control. She was..

She was kissing him with a ferocity that matched his own. Her body was imbued with a gracefulness and brashness of a seducer. When she started touching him, Mike took note the innocence yet sexual curiosity in her touch. And he wanted badly to be the one who would take her into the height of passion. Him to teach her the ways of love. He the only one to make her mad with desire and out of control. Him and no one else.

Mike sought her hips and pulled her across his lap until her legs were on either side of him. And he could feel her moans vibrating as he brushed the skin on her neck. He held her head in his hands and plunged his tongue into her mouth and he tasted an exotic taste of cognac and Abby.

His hands let go of her hair only to wander down, slowly, seductively, skimming his hands under the red dress and raising it over her shapely legs and up those thighs he wanted wrapped around his waist.

"Let me touch you," He brushed the tender skin on her thighs, closer and closer, deeper and deeper into the dress. She kissed him harder, frustration making her mad with need and release. She could feel the moistness between her thighs and he was touching her so lightly. She bit him.

"Hurry." Mike wanted to shout with triumph but kissed her throat instead, licking and nipping at her skin until her reached the soft mounds of her breasts. He placed his hand between her thighs, fingering the lace of her panties while his other hand pulled the dress down enough to uncover her breasts.

He gazed down at her and took his fill, wanting to etch the memory of her beauty in his mind. Her nipples were already hard because of arousal and he touched the tip with his thumb. Below he slid his hand under her panties and felt moist curls, the soft lips and the center her pleasure. She jerked and moaned. She didn't know what to do with her hands but hold onto his hair as he leaned down to lick the sides of her breast until he reached the tip. He suckled and bit and she squirmed in his lap, panting and gasping.

"Mike." And then something unleashed in him, some feral part of him when she whispered his name. His name.. not Colin or any of her previous lovers. He pushed a finger inside her and he felt her clenched on him as he widrew and plunged again. Beneath his thumb he rubbed her and pleasure shot to her nerves. She pushed against his hand and gripped his shoulders, his back, anywhere and everywhere she could reach.

"I can't take it anymore." She moaned, feeling his strokes become faster and deeper.

"Yes, you can." He was ruthless in giving her pleasure so intense that when she cried out she felt her whole body shook in his arms. Mike kissed her, drinking her cries as he slowly gentled. He could feel her moistness coating his fingers and see the fast movement of her chest as she breathed.

The aftermath was incredible. They just stayed there. He brushed her hair away from her face as she leaned against his shoulder. He couldn' believe it, didn't dare believe it. He had sex with many women in the past. But no one could make him lose control. Well, not like the way he just had with her. He became so aroused he couldn't be aware of anything else but the intense need to take her and make her cry out with pleasure. And now she sat on his lap, too tired to move. He couldn't be anymore pleased.. or miserable. He was still rock hard.

"Abby." He kissed her temple and breathed in her scent. The scent of lovemaking didn't help his state of arousal.

"Abby?" Her head felt heavy on his shoulder and her arms fell on her sides. Mike made a sound between a laugh and a groan. God, the woman was asleep. He didn't know whether to praise hid lovemaking skills or throw the damned cognac on the floor. But as he looked at her he felt tenderness and something he could not name. And he wanted to take her like this. He wanted to open his pants and bring her body down on his until she wake up thrashing and writhing in pleasure once again. But he didn't dare for he knew everything between them would end when she became sober.

With a deep sigh, he hauled her in his arms and took her home.

...

Abby woke up at the sound of cars passing by. She looked dumbly at her surroundings. She was in a car parked near her house. But why was she here? All that she could remember was she was in a room with Mike-

"Glad you're awake. I was tempted to break your door." When she only stared at him like he grew three heads he added swiftly and angrily, "You're keys was not in your bag when I looked inside."

"I hide it in the doorstep. There's a big crack beside wall and the steps where I usually hide it at times like these."

"At times like this?"

"I wouldn't dare bring the keys with me. I wouldn't want someone taking advantage of me when I'm drunk."

Mike's nostrils flared and he stared at her as if he wanted to gag her. "Or what? I'll rob your house?!"

Oh the wretched- "Didn't I say 'someone'? I was talking about general circumstances and you, as always, just let your stupid pride get on the way before I even finish!"

"But you were with me and not just 'someone'!"

"Exactly what I'm saying!" She threw her hands wide, gesturing about angrily. "See? All you care about is your macho ego getting-

"I am not the one being so prideful here young missy and you know it." He growled at her.

"Oh forget it! I don't want to argue with you." She slumped against the seat while he turned around to stare at the opposite direction, fumming silently.

"And why am I here with you? I don't remember going out with you."

Mike swiveled around to face her, his eyes blazing cold in its grey intensity. "Because you were so drunk I had to carry your heavy ass out of that goddamned place!"

Abby could only stare at him in shock and embarrasment. Oh what must he think of her? What would the people think of her being carried by-

"What exactly happened in that room?" She looked at him, mortified at what she might have done.

"Nothing happened." She let out a deep breath but she didn't notice the thunderous glint in his eyes.

"You didn't do anything?"

"Didn't I just said that nothing happened?" He snapped.

"Alright! I'm just asking. You don't have to shout at me!" She placed her hands against her ears. God, her head was aching like hell.

"I'm not shouting. You are! Well are you not going inside? My ass is getting numb sitting here waiting-

"Fine!" She opened the door and slammed it shut so hard the car shook slightly.

"Well, thank you by the way!" Mike shouted at her and started the engine. "Such an ungrateful wench." He slammed his fist on the steering wheel, the buzzer made a passerby jumped on his feet.

...

Inside Abby's house, D'Artagnan watched his master as she ranted about Mike Chadway in front of the vanity inside the bathroom. "That pig-headed son of a-" She leaned closer to the mirror and stopped. She looked down on her chest. Slowly she tugged the dress down and stared blankly at the red mark on her skin. She knew without doubt what it was.

Oh, God..

END

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Author's note: This is supposed to be the ending. But if the readers will want me to continue the story. I'll try to make up something. So tell me what you think. R&R!


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